Mounting bracket for supporting air motors



June 6, 1961 R. K. SCHURR I'AL MOUNTING BRACKET FOR SUPPORTING AIR MOTORS Filed April 1, 1955 United States Patel-1f 2,987,281 MOUNTING BRACKET FOR SUPPORTING AIR MOTORS Rudolph K. Schurr and Robert L. Inman, St. Louis, Mo.,

assignors to Arboats, Inc., St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Filed Apr. 1, 1955, Ser. No. 498,698 2 Claims. (Cl. 248-4) e The present invention relates generally to the lair propeller motor art, and more particularly to a method of and a bracket for supporting an Iair propeller motor from the transom or rear wall of a boat.

In brief, the present invention comprises a bracket including a mounting base and a sleeve unit pivotally supported thereon. An air propeller motor supporting shaft is movably received in the sleeve unit for both vertical adjustment and rotative movement for purposes of moving the air propeller motor to different positions in steering the boat. The present novel bracket is adapted to removably fit on the transom of a boat in a manner to dispose it substantially within the interior thereof. The sleeve unit is adjustable in respect to the mounting base to change the effective thrust of the air propeller motor. The present novel method includes utilizing the thrust of the air propeller motor to maintain the bracket secure.

The present novel bracket construction overcomes the deficiencies found in outboard motor supports, and is exceedingly vsimple in its adaptation to the transom of a boat land in its use. l

An object of the present invention is to provide a novel mounting bracket for air propeller motors which may be readily, quickly and rmly attached to a transom of a boat, and which reduces the possibility of splitting the transom.

' Another object is to provide a novel method of mounting an air propeller motor on the transom of a boat which utilizes the air thrust in maintaining the mounting secure.

Another object is to provide `a novel mounting bracket for air propeller motors which permits vertical adjustment of the air propeller motor in respect 'to the boat and water, and which permits further adjustment of the plane of the propeller of the air propeller motor in respect to the surface of thewater. v

Another object is to provide a novel mounting'bracket for air propeller motors incorporating readily manipulatable construction for rotating the' air propeller motor about a vertical axis through three hundred and sixty degrees.

Another object is to provide a novel mountingbracket for air propeller motors which is of sturdy construction and adapted to give long service with minimum mainte nance. t

Another object is to provide a novel mounting bracket for air propeller motors which may be eflciently used by boat owners with a minimum of instruction.

Another object is to provide a novel mounting bracket for `air propeller motors which includes readily adjustable means for maintaining the air propeller motor supporting shaft at a desired degree of stiffness of rotation.

yOther objects and advantages me apparent from the following description taken with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a mounting bracket for air propeller motors constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention illustrated as attached to the transom of a diagnammatically illustrated boat, .the air propeller motor being shown in dotted lines and in position to move the boat rearwardly;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the mounting bracket of FIGURE l looking at the other side, the air FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on substan-A tially the line 3-3 of FIGURE 1, the major portion of the mounting backet being shown in plan;

FIGURE 4 is a vertical cross-sectional View taken substantially on the line 4-4 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a horizontal cross-sectional View taken on substantially the line 5-5 of FIGURE l;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged plan View of a portion of a removable pin illustrating the securing device pivotally engaging the same; and

FIGURE 7 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken on substantially the line 7-7 of FIGURE 6. A

Referring to the drawing more particularly by reference numerals, 10 indicates generally an air boat bracket constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention. The bracket 10 includes a mounting base 12, a sleeve unit 14 pivotally supported thereon, and an air propeller motor supporting shaft 16 adjustably mounted in said sleeve unit 14.

The base 12 may be a casting, and preferably is genen ally of the configuration clearly shown in the drawing. It includes two spaced Z-form side portions 18 adapted to engage over the transom or rear wall 19 of a boat 26, each having a threaded boss 22 receiving a mounting or securing member 23 which will engage the inside face of a transom 19. Transverse braces 24 and 25 are formed integral with the side portions 18. A rearwardly extend' ing portion 26 has an arcuately disposed series of apertures 28.

The sleeve unit 14 also may be a casting of the configuration illustrated, and includes a sleeve portion 30 from which extend two parallel web portions 32, each.

against accidental removal by a pivotally mounted lock-Y ing leaf 42, or the like.

A window 44 is formed in one side of the sleeve portio 30, and openings 46 and 48 are formed in the web por.

tions 32. A friction shoe 45 is disposed in the window -44 and has oppositely directed ears 47 and 49 extending through the openings 46 and 48, respectively. An adjusting screw 51 is disposed in a threaded opening in the` ear 47 and engages a Wall of the opening 46, as is clear from FIGURE 5. The friction shoe 4S engages the.

shaft 16 to prevent free rotative movement thereof.

The shaft 16 is mounted in the sleeve unit 14, as illustrated, and is maintained against vertical accidental removal by a collar 50 secured to the shaft 16 by a setscrew 52. Accidental vertical movement downwardly of the shaft 16 is prevented by a split collar 54 which is clamped against removal from the shaft 16 by suitable machine screws 56. An integral ear 58 extends forwardly from the split collar 54 and includes a laterally extending lug 60. A socket member 62 is pivotally mounted on the ear 58 by a suitable stove bolt 64 and receives a steering shaft 66 on the free end of which is a hand grip 68. The socket member has an extension 70 which engages the lug 60 in the steering position of FIGURE 1. The steering shaft 66 may be pivoted upwardly into vertical position out of the way of occupants of the boat when not in use.

An air propeller motor 74 is shown in dotted lines mounted on the upper end of the shaft 16. This unit, which forms no part of the present invention, includes a Y Patented June 6, 19611 The thrust of the air propeller motor 74, in driving theV boat 20 forwardly, tends to rotate it forwardly about its bracket mounting. Hence, the effect at the bracket is at the bottom thereof on the inner face of the transom 19 and at the engagement points of the securing members 23 on the outer face, which tends to prevent the members 23 from becoming loose. Also, they spread vertically between the two engagement lines is great enough to prevent splitting of the top of the transom 19.

The vertical position of the shaftv 16 to the water may be easily adjusted by removing the pin 40 after rotating the locking leaf 42 to the full line position shown in FIG-k URE 6. The sleeve unit 14 may then be pivoted clockwise to deect the propeller 78 toward the surface of the Water, and the pin 40 reinserted in selected aligned openings 28.

The shaft 16 is mounted in the sleeve unit 14` for rotative movement through swinging movement of the steering shaft 66. In FIGURE 1, the air propeller motor 74 is illustrated in position for moving the boat 20 rearwardly. To move the boat 20 forwardly, the air propeller motor 74 faces` to the rear since this will dispose it further away from the boat occupants. The steering shaft 66 is swung through an angle of one hundred and .eighty degrees to accomplish the necessary rotation of theY shaft 16. The friction shoe 45 provides for adjustment of the freedom of movement of the shaft 16. It is not desirable to have the air propeller motor 74 freely rotatable during normal use thereof, which the friction shoe 45 adjusted to the desired degree eliminates.

The shaft 16 may be of greater length than illustrated, in which event the air propeller motor 74 will be at a higher level than shown. Such longer shaft Y16 can be lowered to engage the bottom thereof on that boat bottom should it be desired for stability, or otherwise.

It is manifest that there has been provided a mounting bracket for air propeller motors which fulfills thev objects and advantages sought therefor. Y

It is to be understood that the foregoing description and the accompanying drawing have been given by way of illustration and example. xIt is alsoA to he understood that changes in form of the elements, rearrangement of. parts,

and substitution of equivalent elements, which will be ob-V boat comprising a mounting base, said base including spaced Zportions secured against separation formed` to engage over a boat transom, or the like, clamping means mounted in each Z-portion for engagement with the outside face of a boat transom, or the like, each Z-portion 4having a lower rearwardly extending portion having an arcuate series of openings, a sleeve unit pivotally mounted on said base including a sleeve portion, spaced lugs having aligned apertures formed integral with said sleeve portion, a removable pin extending through said lug apertures and through selected aligned openings in said Z-portion lower rearwardly extending portions, said lugs being between said lower rearwardly extending portions, an air propeller motor supporting shaft mounted in said sleeve portion, means preventing accidental longitudinal movement of said shaft, but permitting rotative movement thereof including an upper collar xed to said shaft, means for adjusting the freedom of rotative movement of said shaft including a friction shoe mounted on said sleeve unit and engaging said shaft and means for adjusting the relativepositions of said friction shoe and shaft.

2. A bracket for mounting an air propeller motor on a boat comprising amounting base, said base including spaced Z-portions secured against separation formed to engage over a boat transom, or the like, clamping meansV mounted in each Z-portion for engagement with the outside face of a boat transom, or the like, each Z-portion having a Ilower rearwardly extending portion having an arcuate series of openings, a sleeve unit pivotally mounted on said base including a sleeve portion, spacedlugs having aligned apertures formed integral with said sleeve portion, a removable pin extending through said lug apertures and through selectedV aligned openings in said Z-portion lower rearwardly extending portions, said lugsv being between said lower rearwardly extending portions, an air propeller motor supporting shaft mounted in' said sleeve portion, means preventing accidental longitudinal movement of said' shaft, but permitting-rotative'movement thereof including an upper collar fixed to said shaft, means for adjusting the freedom of rotative movement of said shaft, and a steering arm pivotally mounted on said upper collar movable between an operative position'and a nonoper'ative position.

Canada L Feb. 1, 1955 

